1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dyeing system for a lens and an ordering system for a colored lens.
2. Description of Related Art
As a method for dyeing a plastic lens such as a spectacle plastic lens, for example, a dip dyeing method to dye a lens by dipping it in a dyeing solution has been known. There has also been known a vapor-deposition dyeing method to dye a lens by heating, in a vacuum, a base substrate to be used for dyeing on which a dyeing solution has been applied, thereby sublimating dyes from the base substrate, and vapor-depositing the sublimated dyes on the lens. This method is disclosed in for example Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 1-277814 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2001-59950 which corresponds to European Publication No. 0982432.
For instance, when a customer buys a pair of colored spectacles such as sunglasses, or a spectacle frame with colored lenses, he sometimes chooses a favorite sample lens (color) from among previously prepared sample lenses (color samples) in an optician's shop or the like. In this case, the optician's shop places an order for dyed lenses by informing a color code (a color number) of the chosen sample lens (color) to a lens manufacturer (or a dye works). Then, the lens manufacturer or the dye works dyes lenses in accordance with the received color code and delivers the dyed lenses to the optician's shop. If using the dip dyeing method, the lens manufacturer or dye works adjusts a dyeing solution (additionally, a dipping time and others) based on the received color code. If using the vapor-deposition dyeing method, the lens manufacturer or dye works adjusts an application solution (additionally, a heating time, a distance between a base substrate used for dyeing and lenses, and other conditions) based on the received color code. In the vapor-deposition dyeing method disclosed in European publication No. 0982432, the color code (data) is input in a computer which controls a printer to adjust an application solution based on the input color code (data).
There may be a case where the customer requests the same color as that of a colored spectacle lens that is on sale at a shop or that the customer possess or wears. In this case, if the color code of the lens is unknown, the lens itself has to be sent for use as a sample lens (color) to the lens manufacturer to dye lenses in as the same color as possible as that of the sample lens. However, a person with experience is required to adjust the dyeing solution (the application solution) for dyeing lenses in the same color as that of the sample lens and input the color data thereof. Thus, it would take much time to deliver the dyed lenses of a requested color to the optician's shop.